UFC on FUEL TV 3: Main card fight breakdown

The UFC on FUEL TV 3 event is set for Tuesday night in Fairfax, Virginia, and has some solid style matchups on paper. The event is on an odd week night, so we’re going to give a brief fight analysis/breakdown of each fight on the main card instead of the usual detailed preview. Check it below:

Jason MacDonald (25-15) vs. Tom Lawlor (7-4, 1NC)

This bout is more of a grappler vs. wrestler/grappler with MacDonald having the edge in submissions on the ground and Lawlor being the more powerful of the two fighters. MacDonald is near the end of his career and pretty much wants one more fight after this to retire. Lawlor is more known for his ring entrances and pre-fight weigh-in tactics than actual skill in the cage. Both are coming off losses and need wins badly. MacDonald either wins by submission or losses via TKO or decision to Lawlar here.

Igor Pokrajac (24-8) vs. Fabio Maldonado (18-4)

Interesting bout here with Pokrajac being a training partner of Mirko Cro Cop and Maldonado being a guy with pretty good boxing skills. Both guys have the ability to end the fight standing, Maldonado may have the edge on the ground. Maldonado goes to the body extremely well with punches and Pokrajac does have some wrestling ability. However, I think this fight plays out on the feet with the edge going to Maldonado. He’s also never been stopped via TKO/KO in his career.

Yves Jabouin (17-7) vs. Jeff Hougland (10-4)

This bout will be a bantamweight scrap between a striker and a grappler for the most part. Jabouin is known for his quickness and striking ability with well over half of his wins coming via TKO/KO. Hougland is no slouch in stopping his opponents via submission, with 70% of his wins coming via that method. Jabouin is incredibly tough to takedown, plus he has fought better opposition during his career. I see Hougland having a tough time getting him to the ground and Jabouin winning a decision or stopping Hougland via TKO/KO.

Donald Cerrone (17-4, 1NC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (20-7)

Talk about two fighters that come to scrap? You got it right here. Cerrone is the taller more technical striker whereas Stephens is powerful brawler type. Cerrone will have the advantage on the ground as well. It’ll all depend on the fighter game plans in this one and I have to believe that Cerrone is comfortable wherever the fight goes. Cerrone (-280) is the favorite over Stephens (+220). Cerrone has a granite chin and has never been stopped via TKO/KO. Stephens will have to grind out a decision somehow if he plans to get the win. I like Cerrone via decision or submission in this one.

Amir Sadollah (5-3) vs. Jorge Lopez (11-2)

This should be a good striking battle between two guys versed in muay thai. Both fighters are in need of wins as they lost their last fights respectively. Lopez comes from the Wanderlei Silva fight camp in Las Vegas, Nevada, so you know he’ll come with aggression and straight forward approach. Sadollah is actually pretty technical with his striking but lacks any real power in his strikes. He is versed in submissions on the ground and can end the fight there as we saw by his run on TUF. This fight probably goes to the judges with the more technical Sadollah winning the decision.

Dustin Poirier (12-1) vs. Chan Sung Jung (The Korean Zombie) (12-3)

This featherweight fight is quite possibly a number one contender’s match with the winner taking on Jose Aldo(or Erik Koch if he pulls the upset at UFC 149). Poirier is the larger more powerful fighter and has the edge on the ground in submissions. Jung has the edge in power strikes and is quite capable of catching Poirier with a big punch. Poirier was getting tagged quite a bit in his last fight against Max Holloway before getting him to the ground and submitting him. Poirier is the favorite at (-350) with Sung Jung as the underdog at (+280). I think Poirier gets a well timed takedown as Sung Jung over commits with strikes and then proceeds to win via submission.

Be sure to join us tomorrow night for the LIVE play by play right here at ProMMAnow (www.prommanow.com).

About Kelvin Hunt

Kelvin is a father and former collegiate baseball player with a degree in physical education from UNC-Pembroke. He's an avid MMA fan that has been writing about the sport since 2008 through various outlets. His favorite fighter is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira due to the heart he has displayed throughout his legendary MMA career. In his spare time (there is none with three kids), he likes to work out and also likes to follow college football recruiting. You can email him at kelvinhunt@hotmail.com and you can follow him on twitter at @KelvinHuntMMA